By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, May 4: Reconstruction of Ranipokhari and Daharhara, the two historic monuments of Kathmandu, has resumed after the government allowed moving ahead the reconstruction works.
The historic monuments were going to miss their completion deadline due to the nationwide lockdown enforced by the government to contain the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19). As per the earlier estimates, reconstruction of Ranipokhari was expected to complete by mid-May.
Reconstruction works in Ranipokhari were halted midway after the enforcement of the lockdown on March 24. The project was to complete by the end of Baishakh month.
Raju Man Manandhar, an expert of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), said around 87 per cent work of topping the black soil and bricks on the bed of the historic pond had completed.
The contractors had planned to start the water filling process in the pond from April 25 and complete the rebuilding of the Balgopaleshwar Temple. But the process of laying the black soil, constructing the wall and rebuilding the Balgopaleshwar Temple situated in the middle of the pond was halted halfway, he said.
Rebuilding the five-storey 53-feet tall Balgopaleshwar Temple and the garden section has resumed from April 24. The working process in the ground section has resumed from Saturday.
Now, altogether around 24 workers have been working at the Ranipokhari. The rebuilding of the second floor of Balgopaleshwar is now in progress, he said.
“The process to lay the black soil and bricks on the bed of the ground will complete in 10 days, but we have not been given the vehicle passes to bring the required black soil,” he said. Shortage of manpower and lack of vehicle passes have created problems to continue the reconstruction works smoothly, he added.
“We have demanded five (vehicle) passes to bring black soil from Sankhu, bricks and to transport the workers. Of the total working manpower of the Ranipokhari site, some have gone to their home, and we are trying to bring them here within a few days,” said Manandhar.
He informed that 50 per cent of the construction of the Balgopaleshwar Temple and wall section had been completed while 90 per cent work on the pond was over.
Despite the frequent rainfalls, the ground section of Ranipokhari pond has remained dry and grass has grown up profusely, he informed.
The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has awarded the contract to the CR Tulasi Construction JV for the reconstruction of the Balgopaleshwar Temple. The contract term was for 10 months from the date of signing of the contract on 9 July 2019.
The NRA has allocated Rs 99.7 million for the reconstruction of Ranipokhari.
Similarly, reconstruction of the Dharahara has resumed from Saturday. On the first day, the gradient task of its 10th floor was completed. Altogether 31 workers have been mobilised to reconstruct the tower since today, Manandhar added.
“However, the shortage of manpower in Dharahara is likely to continue for a few more days,” he said.